1. Field of Invention:
The present invention is in the field of electronic connectors and specifically discloses a kit for replacing a latch of a damaged connector lock. The present invention is specifically designed to be useful in applications wherein an in-line socket is locked to an in-line plug by a connector lock and it is important to keep the socket locked to the plug with the latch lock.
2. Background of the Invention:
Certain cable connector assemblies require locks to keep a plug in place in a socket. A catch is mounted to the plug, and a latch is placed above the entrance of the socket. The lock normally has a raised key slot for receiving the catch of the plug. A resilient latch fixed at one end of the lock has a slot that encompasses the catch after the catch passes through the key slot. The catch has a front face that is wedged so as to encounter a front structure of the latch and to raise the front structure in order for the catch to move into the slot.
Often it is necessary to remove the plug from the socket. To do so, the catch must be removed from the slot. The front structure of the latch must be raised in order to extract the catch from the slot. In raising the latch at the front structure, sometimes the latch fractures at the fixed end detaching the latch from the housing. Means must be provided to repair or replace the latch.
Repairs sometimes consist of taping the plug to the socket. Other times tic straps are used to tie the plug to the socket. Many of the repair schemes have worked but have been inefficient. Hence, a search was made to find a repair technique that would e effective and efficient. This search resulted in the latch repair kit of the present invention.